Throughout most of the country, summer is in full bloom. The dust has just settled from Roland Garros, and now we are on to the green pastures of Wimbledon. This is not normally the time of year that manufacturers introduce new frames, but Babolat is doing just that. Some people would say that these four new racquets coming from Babolat are the industry's worst kept secret, but here they are. The four new frames are the AeroStrike, AeroStorm, AeroStorm Tour, and the Pure Storm Limited. Are any of them right for you?
In my opinion two of the four could be serious considerations for some players, while the other two should only appeal only to pretty advanced players. Lets take a look at them.
AeroStorm & AeroStorm Tour- Now some of you that have been paying close attention might be saying, "the AeroStorm was introduced last year." Well you are right it was introduced last year, but that frame now becomes the AeroStorm Tour. What Babolat has done is make a newer lighter version of last year's AeroStorm, and making the old heavier version the Tour model. The AeroStorm Tour tips the scale at 12.1 ounces strung, and comes in at 6 points. head light. The new AeroStorm is a more user friendly 11.4 ounces, still a pretty heavy frame but the fact that it is only 4 points head light makes it much easier to swing. I would recommend the new AeroStorm to players who are between a 4.0 and up NTRP rating. If you are around a 4.5 or 5.0 or higher you might prefer the heavier tour version.Pure Storm Limited- Babolat has long been considered a company that caters to advanced
players. This racquet will not change that image in the slightest. The Pure Storm Limited might not be the heaviest frame in Babolat's stable at 11.8 ounces strung, but the fact that it is the most head light frame they make (8 points) makes it the heaviest to swing. Combine that with a smaller 95 square inch headsize and you have a serious player racquet. Best suited to players 4.5 and up, you will have to swing full and fast to get power out of this frame, but control and spin should plentiful. The Pure Storm Limited even comes with a leather grip, that should intimidate your opponent!
AeroStrike- In my opinion this is the gem of the new offerings. Until now the AeroStrike was not available in the United States. In Europe players who wanted a more user friendly version of Rafael Nadal's AeroDrive Pro, had the AeroStrike as an option, now we do too. The AeroStrike comes in at 10.3 ounces strung, a much more manageable weight for intermediate players. But an even bigger advantage to this frame is that it is 2 points head heavy, great for players who love to play from the baseline. The weight and balance of this racquet make it a good fit for just about anybody. 3.0's who need a little help from the racquet will appreciate the balance, and more advanced players who might not use a long swing will benefit from the lighter weight. The 100 square inch headsize is small enough to stay pretty stable on off center hits, but is large enough to easily find the sweet spot on most shots. If you are the average player looking for a new racquet , this should be on your short list!So these new frames from Babolat are not going to change the thought that Babolats are for serious players, but the AeroStrike is a new option for players who are looking for a great racquet that will help them play their best.
Advanced players have plenty of options with Babolat, so you might give the AeroStroms and the Pure Storm Limited a try. In my opinion these three frames are best suited for players who are looking for a more head light racquet from Babolat. These racquets fill a void for advanced players, but most people will not be very interested
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